In the art of fuel cells, it has long been common practice to employ liquid electrolytes of suitable base or acid materials in aqueous solution. Such electrolytes are arranged or disposed between and in contact with anode and cathode electrodes of the fuel cells. In such cells, the electrolytes function to conduct hydroxyl ions generated by chemical reaction at the cathode electrodes to the anode electrodes. The electrodes are commonly established of structurally stable fuel metals or alloys which can be self-supported in the electrolytes without disintegrating or going into solution.
In theory, it is apparent that one or both of the electrodes of a fuel cell could be established of suitable metals or fuel elements in aqueous solution or other liquid form. Putting that theory into practice has been avoided and considered impractical since if an electrode of a cell was in liquid form, it would commingle with the liquid electrolyte and the resulting cell would be rendered inoperative.